|
by
Doug Ward |
When I was a boy, I heard and read the Bible in the traditional King James
Version. The KJV is a beautiful translation, but I found it challenging to read
(and still do).
For
one thing, it contains words I had never heard before. What exactly did "trow" (Luke 17:9) mean? What about
"chambering" (Romans 13:13)? Some words that were familiar in 1611,
when the KJV was published, were no longer in use by the time I encountered them
in the 1960s.
The
KJV also includes many familiar words whose usage has shifted over the
centuries. When I was seven, I memorized Psalm 23, which begins, "The Lord
is my shepherd; I shall not want." To understand what I was memorizing, I
had to learn that "want" meant "be in need" rather than
"desire," the meaning I associated with the word.
Shifts
in English usage can cloud our understanding of some KJV passages. One example
is Proverbs 29:18, which begins, "Where there is no vision, the people
perish." This proverb has often been applied to organizations, which need
a clear idea of their goals-a good "vision statement"-in order to
thrive.
However,
Proverbs 29:18 continues, "But he that keepeth
the law, happy is he." This second proverb is not about goals or vision
statements, and it is intended as a contrast to the first proverb. This would
indicate that the first proverb has a different meaning.
As
it turns out, the Hebrew word for "vision" in the first proverb has
the sense of prophetic vision or revelation from God. Moreover, the word for
"perish" is more about "letting loose" or "running
wild" than about perishing per se.
Modern
English translations give a better sense of the intended meaning of Proverbs
29:18. For instance, the New Living Translation renders the verse, "When
people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law
is joyful." Similarly, the New International Version has, "Where
there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds
wisdom's instruction."
So,
Proverbs 29:18 is more about the importance of heeding God's word than about
having clear organizational goals. Keeping this verse in mind, a good New
Year's resolution for 2024 would be to grow in knowledge and application of the
Bible. An excellent tool for that task is the wealth of excellent English Bible
translations now available. Comparing several translations is a great way to
increase our understanding of the Scriptures.
File
translated from TEX by TTH,
version 3.66.
On 22 Dec 2023, 17:16.
